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Lucas wrote:Guess the release caused a run on sticks.

I think it's more COVID related than anything else. A few months back I was looking at getting a racing wheel. Everywhere I went either had used ones at outrageous prices or new stock "back ordered."

When I got my stick back in 2017 or so, I paid about $50 ~ $60 bucks for it.

Hey all, quick question regarding the G1000. I know there are some issues, but most of those are way beyond my training. My issue is far more basic. I programmed a low altitude IFR route, took off, climbed to 500 ft and switched on the autopilot. The damned thing immediately put me in a steep bank to return me to the start of the runway. Is this simply a glitch, or did I do something wrong?

ShyFlyer wrote:ORBX has some add-ons for London already in the Marketplace, with more on their website.

Do not buy them!

These are low-res, low-poly add-ons from FSX. The London scenery pack actually replaces some buildings that look very nice in the vanilla MSFS (London Bridge, Parliament, Tower) with hideous new versions:



Also, before buying the Denver or Innsbruck airport packs, please keep in mind that INN is included in the basic edition and DEN in the premium deluxe edition already. Not sure why I would want to buy the add-ons then.

Aerosoft released a free add-on with a detailed version of their home base, Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport ( PAD / EDLP ). That one looks very nice, though the interest in that specific airport is probably limited. But hey - it's a free add-on.

https://www.aerosoft.com/de/flugsimulat ... rhaeltlich

PA110 wrote:Hey all, quick question regarding the G1000.

Which aircraft? Both the 172 and 208 feature the G1000 but they are slightly (but not significantly) different. The Diamonds have them too. Haven't had a chance to check them (172 & Diamonds) out, though.

Perhaps these video will help? (I haven't watched them)

Zak wrote:Not sure why I would want to buy the add-ons then.

The included handcrafted DEN is pretty good, but the Jepp Terminal and the UAX gates at the end of B Concourse need work. Definately not paying $15 for the third party DEN, that's for sure.

ShyFlyer wrote:Which aircraft? Both the 172 and 208 feature the G1000 but they are slightly (but not significantly) different. The Diamonds have them too. Haven't had a chance to check them (172 & Diamonds) out, though.

I was flying the 172 out of PHKO/KOA to PHTO/ITO, departing northbound on Rwy35, and following the initial runway heading. When I hit the Autopilot, the damned thing put me into a turn back to the start of the runway. I'm guessing I should have probably waited until I passed the first waypoint before engaging the AP. The example in the first video had the aircraft heading in the opposite direction from the flight plan, so the return back to the airport would be more logical.

I have no formal pilot training. My brother was a CFI 20 years ago before his professional airline career (which comes to a screeching halt at the end of October). He took me up on quite a few fun flights, but I never did any of the book work. We spent the better part of a day doing approaches at KGYR/GYR. I wasn't half bad at both visual and instrument approaches.

I'll have to noodle with that for a bit. I think I kinda know where you're coming from, but I need a bit to see if I can replicate it before advising.

I couldn't even find any used joysticks to buy. Sheesh. Ordered the to-be-released Thrustmaster Airbus pack instead.

Good deal and they have little reverse-thrusters.

I've bought those - but got an email yesterday advising of a months delay. It seems the sim has boosted the fortunes of those in the joystick and yoke businesses!

https://www.pcgamer.com/microsoft-fligh ... n-3-years/

mhodgson wrote:I've bought those - but got an email yesterday advising of a months delay. It seems the sim has boosted the fortunes of those in the joystick and yoke businesses!

https://www.pcgamer.com/microsoft-fligh ... n-3-years/

That was a very good read. With the new 3x series GPUs from nvidia being cheap, I might get one of them, too. Maybe sell my old 2070S to my sister for $100 or something.

PA110 wrote:When I hit the Autopilot, the damned thing put me into a turn back to the start of the runway. I'm guessing I should have probably waited until I passed the first waypoint before engaging the AP.

I wasn't able to replicate this, but I do know from experience with the sim in it's current state, the way that the nav system operates isn't quite true to life. In many ways, it's a large step backwards from FSX, which still lives on as P3D with Lockheed Martin.

The next update/patch is coming up soon, within "the next ten days." It looks as if it should address autopilot and nav system issues.



https://www.flightsimulator.com/septemb ... nt-update/

Still no gliders, though?

Does it still not have a replay feature?

I've had to delete and re-install due there were auto updates that were not installing correctly. They were grayed out with a note to restart to continue download. Restarts were not having any effect, so time to re-install.

Sounds like typical Microsoft. Release it half baked, and patch on the fly. Make the end users the testers.

I don't even own a desktop anymore, and with a 1 year old running around I don't have time. This makes me sad. Maybe in a few years I can catch the next version.

So, I've done some flying after installing the patch. Here are my findings:

Microsoft needs to find a better way to download and install the patch. I launch the sim, it says I need to open the MS Store app to download the update. Before I have a chance to do so, the MS Store app launches automatically (thanks, I guess?). Then, once MS Store is done, I launch the sim again, which then begins the process of installing the patch. However, judging by my internet activity, it seems that what's happening is that it's downloading the patch...again.

Anyway, despite reports of the latest patch totally breaking the sim for some users, I can actually use it for it's intended purpose: converting me to a nearly total social recluse.

Performance Improvements
The stuttering I observed while the sim loaded new scenery is now nearly totally gone. This apparently was caused by the refresh rate on the "glass" avionics. MS/Asobo added an option within the menus to adjust the refresh rate. Medium is the default and seems to work quite well.

There was talk of reducing the opening credits sequence to increase start up time. All that I noticed was that the "Powered by Wwise" screen no longer appears. Personally, I would have removed the "Press Any Key To Start" but I'm no coder.

ATC Updates
The added some new voices to the system, so there is a bit more variety. Unfortunately, they didn't see fit to address actual user complaints like phraseology, the AI ignoring requests for different approaches, etc. Just new voices. Oh, and some of the voices can't say "One" and instead refer to the numeral by spelling out the word O N E.

It does seem, though, that the real world flights are no longer harassed to descend to 10000. They do say they are descending though, when checking in.

Not sure if model matching has gotten better, but the sim ATC still thinks that A320s are sometimes "Heavy" and when giving traffic warnings calls them A20Ns.

Landing at KAPA, traffic ahead of me was told "position and hold." The AI aircraft then apparently just took off as ATC kept saying "you did not have permission to take off." It did that a few times before terminating it's IFR clearance. I've never experienced that in this or previous versions of FlightSim.

General Aviation Avionics Updates
Other than the refresh rate issue, I see no real updates in the sim (C208 and TBM). I do know that using FLC in the 208 will cause a stall as the autopilot pitches wildly up. Oh, also in the 208, the autopilot will kick off while flying an approach and will not turn back on. Those two issues weren't present pre-patch.

Still no "Track Up" option nor can you deselect Topo.

Live Weather Updates
Pre-Patch, live weather would get you everything but the wind. The wind, at least in the US, was always 225@3. Now it works. However, it doesn't display properly on the Garmin MFD (the PFD display works, though).

I think the double update is supposed to happen, it does it on my Steam version - presumably the download from Steam/MS Store is for the base program to trigger the primary download.

The patch has helped my performance too (which was already pretty good); even flying around NYC low but fast it was lovely and smooth - in fact the limiting factor became my internet connection as it struggled with the photogrammetry.

I still don't use the built-in ATC other than for ATIS. Unfortunately I still find the jet aircraft unsuitable for online VATSIM flying as well due to the poor VNAV and sometimes unreliable/unpredictable AP functions though I haven't tried since the latest patch. Navigraph now supports providing Navdata to the sim so at least various waypoints and heights are properly supported now.

My main gripe about weather is it not using METARs as a source - when flying it is gorgeous, and seems realistic but does occasionally differ quite significantly from METARs.

mhodgson wrote:I think the double update is supposed to happen, it does it on my Steam version...

I was curious if the same happened on the Steam version. I've only used Steam for American Truck Simulator and updates are far more streamlined.

mhodgson wrote:I still don't use the built-in ATC other than for ATIS.

Now that I'm able to link ForeFlight to FS2020 I find it much easier to vector myself for approaches and navigate airport taxiways, so I'll likely just tune in for the ambiance.

****

Since I've completed my State Capital tour, I've been thinking about my next sim activity. Back when I got FS98, I took the Lear 45 on a 'round the world flight. I remember much of the original route back then (when there were fewer airfields included in the sim, and many of them just runways), but I've been leaning towards something different since the aircraft I would like to use (the Longitude) still has performance issues.

Since the TBM seems to perform well, I might use it to recreate Amelia Earhart's (the snotty Denver-based journalista, not the original) journey, though I'd have to "cheat" by adding fuel inflight as it's the only way to simulate the ferry tanks that were installed in "her" PC-12.


****

Speaking of Flightsim memories, I decided to look up the maker of a few of my favorite panels from my FS98 days: Eric Ernst. I made extensive use of his 75/76 panel, first the original panel and then his follow-up complex panel (which, BTW, formed the basis of the offering from Level D). Had quite a few hours behind his Saab 340 and MD-83 panels too. He left panel making a short time after 9/11, feeling too much guilt that his complex 75/76 panel may have helped the terrorists. As far as I'm aware, there was no connection and the FBI never contacted him.

Sadly, he died in 2018 at the age of 51.

Capt Ernst started flying for American Eagle in 1991, joining American Airlines as a First Officer in 1999 and had recently been upgraded to Captain.

He is survived by his wife Randi, daughters Amanda and Cassandra and parents Raymond and Virginia.

avsim.com/home/pri-news/767-pic-creator-eric-ernst-dies-r4681/

Probably a silly question, but: Does this thing have Kai Tak in it?

By default no, though the use of photo mapping means you can see the old runway and what little remains.

However someone has done a quick and dirty release to add it in, along with a fairly clever way of replicating the checkerboard!

https://flightsim.to/file/642/vhhx-kai- ... -hong-kong

Microsoft’s flagship 2020 game Flight Simulator was supposed to showcase Bing Maps and Azure’s streaming capabilities. There’s just one small problem: gamers are overwriting Bing’s in-game 3D photogrammetry with entire cities ripped from Google Earth.

“When playing the game, you're essentially looking at an extremely high resolution image of the entire globe in 3D - think Google Earth but of a much higher quality,” gushed one Flight Simulator reviewer earlier this summer.

It may come as a shock to him and Redmond alike that gamers are importing Google photogrammetry into the simulator to replace the default Bing 3D buildings.

Full article: https://www.theregister.com/2020/10/19/ ... placement/

ShanwickOceanic wrote:

Microsoft’s flagship 2020 game Flight Simulator was supposed to showcase Bing Maps and Azure’s streaming capabilities. There’s just one small problem: gamers are overwriting Bing’s in-game 3D photogrammetry with entire cities ripped from Google Earth.

“When playing the game, you're essentially looking at an extremely high resolution image of the entire globe in 3D - think Google Earth but of a much higher quality,” gushed one Flight Simulator reviewer earlier this summer.

It may come as a shock to him and Redmond alike that gamers are importing Google photogrammetry into the simulator to replace the default Bing 3D buildings.

Full article: https://www.theregister.com/2020/10/19/ ... placement/

Went and checked out some of the addons. NOICE.

Still waiting on instant replay.

ShanwickOceanic wrote:

Microsoft’s flagship 2020 game Flight Simulator was supposed to showcase Bing Maps and Azure’s streaming capabilities. There’s just one small problem: gamers are overwriting Bing’s in-game 3D photogrammetry with entire cities ripped from Google Earth.

“When playing the game, you're essentially looking at an extremely high resolution image of the entire globe in 3D - think Google Earth but of a much higher quality,” gushed one Flight Simulator reviewer earlier this summer.

It may come as a shock to him and Redmond alike that gamers are importing Google photogrammetry into the simulator to replace the default Bing 3D buildings.

Full article: https://www.theregister.com/2020/10/19/ ... placement/

Can't say I'm surprised - looking at the Bing satellite photo for VHHH/HKG, I reckon its at least ten years out of date!!

ShanwickOceanic wrote:Still no gliders, though?

I saw what you did there...

xwizard wrote:

ShanwickOceanic wrote:

Microsoft’s flagship 2020 game Flight Simulator was supposed to showcase Bing Maps and Azure’s streaming capabilities. There’s just one small problem: gamers are overwriting Bing’s in-game 3D photogrammetry with entire cities ripped from Google Earth.

“When playing the game, you're essentially looking at an extremely high resolution image of the entire globe in 3D - think Google Earth but of a much higher quality,” gushed one Flight Simulator reviewer earlier this summer.

It may come as a shock to him and Redmond alike that gamers are importing Google photogrammetry into the simulator to replace the default Bing 3D buildings.

Full article: https://www.theregister.com/2020/10/19/ ... placement/

Can't say I'm surprised - looking at the Bing satellite photo for VHHH/HKG, I reckon its at least ten years out of date!!

Also, Bing haven't made photogrammetry inroads into the UK (aside from Portsmouth and Southampton for some reason) wheras Google have.

One of my suggested videos on YouTube is a how-to guide to swapping the Bing for the Googles. Haven't watched it yet. Not really interested in swapping though especially since the sim is really finicky with how it responds to any modifications, even official ones.

I'm not the least bit surprised, though, considering how many areas have better imagery even from Bing itself.